Protective lightweight helmet

ABSTRACT

A lightweight protective headgear for non-contact sports comprising a soft foam helmet designed to prevent head and facial injuries to the user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/990,350 filed May 8, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Presently disclosed embodiments are related to headgear, and particularly to helmets for use in non-contact sports, wherein incidental contact to a player's head, mouth, eyes, face, etc., occur, wherein said helmet is suitable for protection from such incidental contact, whether via a stick, player, or ball.

BACKGROUND

Numerous sports require the use of protective gear to protect the athletes. In particular, sports seek ways to protect the participants from head injuries, such as protection from lacerations to the face, protections of the teeth and mouth, protection of the eyes, and reducing risk of concussions.

The National Football League is currently facing significant issues with regard to head injuries. However, as many people know, most head injuries are actually suffered by the millions of participants at the college, high school, and youth levels. Indeed, it may be that the younger athletes and participants are at the greatest risk of serious head injuries, in part due to their development of skills necessary to avoid these injuries, and also in part to the underdevelopment of their brains because of their ages.

Unfortunately, concussions remain prevalent among athletes, especially among athletes in contact sports, despite the attempts by players, coaches, and the leagues to protect the players. Indeed, many former athletes face significant trauma later in life due to the serious effects of concussions on the brain. Repeated head trauma, regardless of whether a concussion has occurred, is thought to be associated with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which is a progressive degenerative disease and is frequently blamed for the early and untimely deaths of a number of former athletes in sports such as football, ice hockey, and boxing, each of which face serious issues with regard to concussions and head trauma.

While sports like football and ice hockey require the use of helmets, due to the contact nature of the sports, other sports also require helmets to prevent injury from incidental contact. For example, baseball and softball require the use of helmets due to the potential for injuries from the ball hitting participants' heads. Such helmets have protected players from these unintended contact with the head, thereby protecting players from serious injury in many cases.

Men's lacrosse, like football and ice hockey, is a contact sport where the participants are allowed to have physical contact with another player. To prevent or minimize injury, the athletes wear shoulder pads, helmets, mouth guards, and other protective gear. In contrast, women's lacrosse or field hockey, prohibit physical contact and thus do not require the level of protective gear as the men's sports. However, that prohibition does not prevent physical contact between competitors or incidental contact with equipment.

Helmets are not required for participation in women's lacrosse and rigid/hard helmets are not approved or allowed by rule. However, one reason for the lack of helmets is simply access. There are simply no sport specific soft women's lacrosse helmets available regardless of age of the athletes. Indeed, girls as young as 4 years old are interested in playing lacrosse, but there are no protective helmets available for these young athletes. A suitable light-weight helmet that optionally incorporates appropriate eye protection would provide these players with increased protection as they learn the sport. However, available helmets, being non-specific for lacrosse, have yet to meet the standards as set forth under the ASTM WK36457-2014 “Headgear Used in Women's Lacrosse (excluding Goalkeepers).” Furthermore, without the appropriate protection, some participants shy away from participation, or are nervous about being hit by a ball or a stick, which limits their fun and enjoyment of the activity.

Men's lacrosse helmets are prohibited in the women's game because of its bulk, weight, and its impact on a player's vision and risk that it will modify the game. Because of the non-contact element of women's lacrosse, female participants typically only wear mouth guards and eye protection. Eye protection or visors are required to prevent eye injuries from sticks, the ball or from other players, but the eye protection does not provide sufficient protection for the remainder of the face or head, and head and face injuries, while uncommon, remain an issue for women's lacrosse.

Field hockey, like women's lacrosse, is a non-contact field sport that traditionally has not utilized head protection. In field hockey, some athletes wear face guards during certain situations, i.e. a penalty shot, because of the potential for the ball being hit directly at the athlete. However, at other times during the game, athletes only wear minimal eye protection and mouth guards. Helmets, however, are also suitable for use in field hockey, to protect participants from incidental contact to the head.

The limited light-weight helmets or head gear that are available are unsuitable for these specific non-contact sports. Because of the faults in design, the combination of currently available helmets worn with required eye protection, results in helmets that do not meet standards created for head protection and often provide an uncomfortable fit for athletes, limiting their neck mobility as well as their enjoyment. Additionally, the head gear and the eye protection that is available now often limits peripheral vision of the athletes, and vision at or near the feet of players, which is critical to success in both lacrosse and field hockey. Finally, athletes use a mouth guard that they simply put in an out of their mouths, and thus constantly handle the mouth guard with dirty hands, or stick the mouth guard in their clothes or on the ground.

Unfortunately, the current protective devices are not sufficient for many non-contact sports. Currently, there are no protective helmets or headgear for protecting these athletes and yet there are literally millions of women in youth, high school, and adult leagues that risk injury playing these sports. It is inevitable that contact occurs on the field during play. This contact often results in concussions or other trauma to the head regardless of whether the injury occurred due to player to player contact or player to equipment contact. A sport specific helmet would greatly improve safety for these athletes that is lightweight and protects the head, face, and eyes of participants, and meets the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (or other similar standard setting body) standards for use in athletic events.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to helmets or headgear that comprise a comfortable protective headgear, an eye protective shield, and further comprising a device for containing or securing a mouth guard. In particular, the helmet is soft and provides padding to the head and face while reducing the problems of limited peripheral vision prevalent in the prior art.

A further embodiment is directed to a one-piece protective soft helmet, particularly suited for non-contact sports comprising: a protective soft helmet component and a strap suitable for securing said soft helmet to the head of a person; wherein said soft helmet is lightweight and pliable and comprises a plurality of holes extending through the soft helmet and is formed to fit overtop and snugly following the contours of a human head, wherein the helmet extends past the ears but provides a face gap in the frontal portion of the helmet that extends from the portion of the helmet about adjacent to the eyebrows of a user to the ear portion, and wherein the gap is optionally filled with a protective eye shield, and wherein a strap is provided that secures a mouth guard to the helmet; wherein the weight of the helmet and protective eye shield is no more than about 30 ounces.

A one-piece protective soft helmet, particularly suited for non-contact sports comprising: a protective head covering made from a molded soft foam formed as a single homogeneous component, a chin strap suitable for securing said headgear to the head of a person, and a rear strap; wherein said soft helmet is formed to fit overtop and snugly follow the contours of a human head, wherein the helmet extends past the ears but provides a gap in the frontal portion of the helmet that extends from the portion of the helmet about adjacent to the eyebrows of a user to the ear portion; the soft helmet comprises a crown ridge, a forehead ridge, and a temple ridge.

A soft helmet comprising: a protective foam core covering the top of the head, the sides of the head, the rear of the head, and the top portion of the forehead, wherein the foam core ends at about the front of the ear and is provided therein, an opening between the ears and the forehead; the protective foam having a pliable form to provide protection against impact to the soft helmet; a plurality of internal cushions capable of being selectively attached to the interior of the soft helmet; a plurality of vents extending through the foam core; and a plurality of ridges positioned along the sides of the helmet.

A helmet for women's lacrosse comprising: a helmet having a foam core and comprising a plurality of openings extending through the foam core at the top, rear, and sides of the helmet; wherein a facial opening is provided at the front of the helmet and disposed of in said facial opening is a visor; a skeleton of lateral and vertical supports comprising at least two lateral supports on each side of the helmet and at least two vertical supports on the top of the helmet embedded within the foam core of the helmet; and wherein each of the lateral and vertical supports is selectively attached to said visor.

A soft helmet comprising a foam core and a mouth guard wherein said soft helmet that is designed to be lightweight and fit snugly around the head of a player; wherein the foam core is molded to shape to the contours of a human head and comprises an opening between the forehead and the ears for a vision field; and further optionally comprises a transparent shield, disposed of within the opening from about a position from the forehead to about the nose, and extends to each ear on the helmet; wherein a strap attached at each ear position, secures under the chin of the user; and attached to said strap is a mouth guard; wherein the helmet weights less than 34 ounces.

A helmet comprising: a protective pliable foam core covering the top and the sides of the head and the top portion of the forehead, wherein the helmet ends at about the front of the ear and is provided therein, an opening for vision; optionally disposed of in said opening between the front of the ear and the top portion of the forehead is a visor that extends to and is in contact with the protective shell from the ears, all along the forehead portion of the mask; the helmet further comprises vertical and lateral visor supports disposed of within the foam core, which act as stabilizers for the visor.

A helmet for non-contact sports comprising: a skeleton of shaped lateral and vertical supports disposed of within a foam core, comprising at least two lateral supports on each side of the helmet and at least two vertical supports on the top portion of the helmet; wherein each of the lateral and vertical supports comprises an attachment means disposed of on the end of the supports that engages to a visor positioned with an opening situated between the ears and the forehead of the helmet.

A helmet comprising a protective pliable foam core wherein said helmet covers the top, side, and rear of the head, with a face opening between the ears and the forehead; wherein the helmet comprises a top elevated ridge over the crown of the helmet, and a forehead ridge positioned at the front of the helmet disposed of above the face opening; and a rear opening; wherein the rear opening comprises a strap to adjust fit of the helmet based on the user.

A helmet comprising a protective pliable foam core wherein said helmet covers the top, side, and rear of the head, with a face opening between the ears and the forehead; wherein the helmet comprises a top elevated ridge over the crown of the helmet, and a forehead ridge positioned at the front of the helmet disposed of above the face opening; a rear opening; wherein the rear opening comprises a strap to adjust fit of the helmet based on the user; and wherein the sides of the helmet comprise a plurality of ridges.

A helmet comprising a protective pliable foam core wherein said helmet covers the top, side, and rear of the head, with a face opening between the ears and the forehead; wherein the helmet comprises a top elevated ridge over the crown of the helmet, and a forehead ridge positioned at the front of the helmet disposed of above the face opening; a rear opening; wherein the rear opening comprises a strap to adjust fit of the helmet based on the user; and wherein the sides and top of the helmet comprise a plurality of ridges; wherein disposed of within the foam core are a set of skeletal structures that engage with a visor positioned in the face opening wherein the visor is selectably securable to said skeletal structures.

In each embodiment, if not otherwise specifically described, it is envisioned that a visor or face shield can be further incorporated into the soft helmet. Certain embodiments describe attachment means to securing the visor to the soft helmet and additional supporting features that are further described in other embodiments.

A method of creating a lightweight helmet for non-contact sports comprising: taking measurements of the head of a person; molding a skeleton to fit the measurements of the person; affixing a rugged fabric material over said skeleton; and affixing a visor to said skeleton.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a prior art American football style helmet.

FIG. 2 is a drawing of an embodiment of a soft helmet as described herein.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are side profiles of an embodiment of a soft helmet as described herein.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a front and rear profile of an embodiment of a soft helmet as described herein.

FIG. 5 depicts a side cut-out view of an embodiment of a soft helmet as described herein.

FIG. 6 depicts a top plan view of an embodiment of a soft helmet as described herein.

FIG. 7 depicts a front view of an embodiment containing a visor of a soft helmet as described herein.

FIG. 8 depicts a front view of an embodiment containing a visor and supports of a soft helmet as described herein.

FIG. 9 depicts a side cut-out view of an embodiment of a soft helmet as described herein.

FIG. 10 depicts a top down view of an embodiment of a soft helmet as described herein.

FIGS. 11A and 11B depict side profiles of a helmet having ridges.

FIGS. 12A and 12B depict side profiles of a helmet having ridges.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

All references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The materials, methods, and examples presented herein are intended to be illustrative, and not to be construed as limiting the scope or content of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms are intended to have their art-recognized meanings. Furthermore, the various depictions of the embodiments may be combined with one or more of the other features in other embodiments, as intended by the Applicants.

As used herein, the term “about” is intended to encompass a range of values ±10% of the specified value(s). For example, the phrase “about 20” is intended to encompass ±10% of 20, i.e. from 18 to 22, inclusive.

As used herein, the term “helmet” or “headgear” are used interchangeably, to mean a device that is worn on the head for the purpose of providing protection to some part of the head or the face.

As used herein, the term “eye protector,” “visor,” “face shield,” “cage,” and “eye shield” are used interchangeably to mean a device for covering the eyes. The visor may be a clear or tinted translucent material or be a cage like structure.

As used herein, the term “soft” helmet refers to a helmet that does not have a hard/rigid shell-like outer surface, such as a football helmet or men's lacrosse helmet. These hard helmets are difficult to compress and are rigid on the outer shell. The soft helmet, instead, does not have a hard, non-compressible outer shell, but instead the helmet can be compressed when squeezed between your hands. The soft helmet, therefore is pliable and when compressed returns substantially to its original shape.

The word “substantially” means “for the most part” or “essentially.” For example, when a helmet is compressed and returns substantially to its original shape, this means that the helmet deforms when compressed and then re-forms back essentially to its original shape.

The word “ridges” means having raised bands that create areas that are higher a lower along a surface, such as the surface of a helmet. Ridges can be straight, curved, zigzagged, or irregular shaped. Typical ridges are about 1 mm to about 10 mm in height.

The word “foam” or “foam core” refers to a foam like material such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,389,607, 5,056,162, 6,330,849, and 7,103,923 and includes open-cell or closed-cell material, non-cross linked polymers, and cross-linked polymers including, but not limited to high density polyethylene foam or low density polyethylene foam, polypropylene foams, or combinations thereof.

Children and adults alike play sports, whether for enjoyment, exercise, or entertainment. Typically, there are contact sports—e.g. football, ice hockey, rugby, boxing, men's lacrosse, and non-contact sports—e.g. baseball, softball, field hockey, golf, soccer, and women's lacrosse. Contact sports typically utilize heavy padding and helmets, which are almost armor like. Contrastingly, non-contact sports sparingly use padding or helmets. Unfortunately, concussions and other head trauma are common in contact sports, but are surprisingly also prevalent in non-contact sports. Significant and repeated trauma to the head is associated with severe long term damage to the brain, and some studies have suggested that trauma may impact youth and children more than adults, when it comes to long term damage from head trauma.

In addition to the potential for long term damage, concussion sufferers suggest that it takes months and even years to recover from a concussion. Beyond the recovery from concussions, current research suggests more than just a tangential link between concussions and Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), CTE, and other neurodegenerative diseases. The National Football League (NFL) and the National Hockey League (NHL) have continued to study and impacts of concussions and continue to work to implement better helmets and safety equipment to minimize the occurrence of concussions. Helmets have been altered and changed over the years and rules mandating their use has led to more successful and prolonged careers in sports. Many, but not all, youth sports require children to wear safe and appropriate gear in order to participate. Appropriate safety equipment is especially lacking in several non-contact sports.

Non-contact sports, like contact sports, see their fair share of concussions. Indeed, soccer, a non-contact sport, sees a higher rate of concussions than football in some studies. See http://www.amssmorg/Content/pdf %20files/2012_ConcussionPositionStmt.pdf. The majority of concussions in non-contact sports are accidental, occurring, for instance when two players collide or through contact with a ball or stick. Helmet use would most likely aid in reducing the number of concussions suffered in non-contact sports. Indeed, it is interesting to think that sports such as baseball and softball require helmets, whereas sports such as women's lacrosse and field hockey, which also involve a hard ball and stick, do not require helmets for participation. Indeed, open field sports such as lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer are fast paced and where incidental contact between players is commonplace. Indeed, participants frequently, although unintentionally, contact one another with their sticks or bodies, and occasionally the ball hits one of the players. Some of these unintentional contacts result in a hit to the head to one or both of the players.

Helmets for contact sports have a hard/rigid exterior shell and substantial internal padding and a face mask component to protect the face. (See FIG. 1). These helmets 10 are similar to the helmets required for children and adults to play ice hockey, men's lacrosse, and football. The purpose of these helmets is to prevent injury due to the highly physical nature of the games. Indeed, helmets 10 for contact sports, as depicted in FIG. 1, utilize hard outer shells 11, large amount of padding inside the hard outer shell 11, and have a full face mask 12 that often extends down to the chin or further. These helmets 10 protect the athletes from significant head contact, but limit mobility of the athletes, reduce vision, reduce the ability to hear, and are heavy. Indeed, these helmets have substantial padding to protect the head, neck, chin, eyes, etc., of the players because of the likelihood of contact to the head. Many football helmets are, in that sense, similar to motorcycle helmets, or other helmets intended to protect users from significant head trauma.

A particular feature of contact sport helmets 10 is that the shell extends an inch or more past the head and face of a participant and the rigid nature of the shell 11 provides for secure attachment of a full face mask 12 positioned in front of the user's face. Unlike glasses or goggles, face masks do not need a nose or bridge support on the face of the wearer. This allows for increased movement of the face, but also prevents damage to the face when there is contact with the face mask. However, to protect against the intended and expected head to head contact, these helmets are also incredibly heavy as the shells are constructed of heavy plastics, polycarbonate, or similar materials to withstand the impact. Even the lightest of football helmets for youth players weighs about 3 pounds, with the majority of helmets and the face mask weighing between about 3.5 pounds and almost 5 pounds. See—http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/retraction-football-helmet-weights-blog.html. Furthermore, these rigid helmets sometimes, unfortunately, serve as a weapon, and athletes lead with their head in creating contact, because of the perceived protection of the helmet. This rigid material and substantial weight is unsuitable for a field type sport, where speed, agility and quickness are paramount for success and the intentional contact is forbidden.

Women's lacrosse, field hockey, and other similar sports, therefore, as non-contact sports that prohibit intentional physical contact require a helmet that is far different that the helmet required for contact sports. A helmet, however, is still desirable in these fast paced games, where the movements of players are not pre-determined, contact inevitably does occur and players frequently are hit in the head by a ball, another player's stick or body, each of which may cause concussions or other trauma to the head of the contacted player. Thus, while there is no need for a heavy outer shell, such as in the men's lacrosse, ice hockey, football, or motorcycle helmets, there is the need for head and eye protection for these athletes. Indeed, there is a specific need for sport specific equipment to aid in preventing concussions and other head trauma to athletes in these non-contact sports. Non-contact field sports, such as women's lacrosse and field hockey, require speed, agility, awareness of opponents, and fine coordination between the player, their stick, and the ball. The heavy and bulky helmets that are currently available would limit the agility and speed of athletes, dulls senses with regard to opposing players, and impairs vision, both at their feet and at the periphery.

Unfortunately, the currently available soft helmet choices are either the aforementioned heavy contact sport helmets, or helmets for sports such as rugby, which are not intended to be worn with face protection. Indeed, women's lacrosse and field hockey require the use of face/eye protection because of the danger of the stick and because of the use of a small hard ball that travels at a high rate of speed. Any current player wanting to wear a helmet would also have to wear eye protection and a separate mouth guard. This becomes unwieldy and is heavy and uncomfortable for users, among the numerous problems.

Only recently, the National Women's lacrosse rules have allowed athletes to wear “soft” headgear type helmets. However, “hard” helmets remain prohibited in the women's lacrosse game. Some players have attempted to modify existing helmets for use with the required eye protection for women's lacrosse. Some of these helmets, include straps or other attachment means to secure the eye protection to the helmet. Unfortunately, the helmet and eye protection are usually not intended to be paired. This results in the use of extra straps to secure the helmet and the eye protection, and often results in an uncomfortable or imperfect fit of one or both of the helmet or eye protection due to contact between the devices. Typically, the combination of devices not intended for simultaneous use is very uncomfortable. In particular, eye protection strap around the back of the head and the helmet restricts head movement and pulls awkwardly on the players head and hair. Furthermore, the combination of helmet and eye protection typically impairs vision and sight lines for the athlete.

Accordingly, in view of FIG. 2, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides for a durable but lightweight soft helmet 1 that surrounds the top portion of the head and that fits snugly onto the head of the player. The soft helmet 1 contains an outer shell 8 that provides for a cover to the inner foam core 24 (FIG. 5). Extending through the foam core 24 are numerous vents, including top ridge vents 5, central top vents 9, and top side vents 3. The top side vents are triangular in nature and align above the temple ridge on each side of the helmet. All of the vents allow air to reach the head of the player and ensure appropriate temperature for the wearer.

On the side of the helmet, are upper side vents 16 and a lower side vent 17. Below the lower side vent 17 are a pair of chin strap openings 18. The side vents 16 and 17 are positioned near or at the ear to ensure that the soft helmet 1 does not substantially reduce the hearing of the user.

At the top of the helmet is a top ridge 4. The top ridge is a raised section that provides greater protection on the top of the head. Similarly, at the temple portion, and circumferentially oriented, is a temple padding ridge 7. This temple padding ridge includes a pronounced forehead ridge 6 at the front of the helmet. It is important to include these raised ridge components at the top, forehead, and temple circumference on the soft helmet 1 so as to create increased padding and allow for the helmet to absorb greater forces at these key points on the helmet to protect the user from head trauma.

FIGS. 3A and 3B provide a side profile view of the soft helmet 1 and further depict the upper rear vent 15 and the lower rear vent 14. Further the rear portion of the helmet provides for two rear strap openings 13 on each side of a rear opening 30 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B). Straps 29 may be attached to these rear strap openings 13 to provide greater fit for the soft helmet 1. Typical straps of either elastic or inelastic materials that can be adjusted are suitable for use. Also depicted are raised side panels 39 and 49. These panels are slightly raised to increase protection and padding along the side of the head.

Further depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B is the face opening 19. The face opening 19 is cut so that peripheral vision for use user is maximized. The interior edge of the face opening 19 is defined by the side face 21 and the upper face 22 as depicted in FIG. 3B. The face opening 19 contains a notch 41 that is a small recessed section around the face opening 19. This recessed portion provides a position for securing an optional face shield 2, as depicted in further figures.

FIG. 4A depicts a front view of the soft helmet 1. The top ridge 4 can be particularly defined as including not only the top ridge 4, but also a forehead extension 6 that is generally trapezoidal in shape. The forehead extension 6 sits above the temple ridge 7 that otherwise extends circumferentially around the helmet. The rear opening 30 is configured to allow the helmet to expand or contract to fit different size heads. Furthermore, the opening provides for easy access for a pony-tail or hair to be extended outside of the soft helmet 1. FIG. 4B is depicted from the rear of the helmet, and further depicts an exemplary strap 29 disposed of in the rear strap openings 13. The relative position of the various rear and upper vents is also provided.

The inner portion of the helmet is also clearly visible in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The interior shell 20 like the exterior shell 8 provides for protection of the foam core 24. Indeed, the outer shell 8 is a thin coating that encapsulates a foam material 24 disposed of between the outer shell 8 and the inner shell 20. The exterior of the outer shell 8 may be any color, and is suitable for adding decals or other decoration. The inner shell 20 may the same or a different color as the outer shell 8. Furthermore, the material for the outer shell 8 and the inner shell 20 may be the same or a different material. The outer shell 8 material is intended to be resilient, but pliable, so that the foam core is not punctured through routine use on the playing field. In certain embodiments, the shell material is the same material as the foam material 24 disposed within and thus the shell and foam core are a single homogeneous component.

On the exterior side of the inner protective shell 20 (i.e. the portion that would contact the head) is optionally disposed light padding to serve as a further shock absorber and for comfort and fit. Suitable pads include open-cell or closed-cell foams, polyethylene or polypropylene foam, or other suitable foam or polymer as known to one of ordinary skill in the art, and includes foams and pads such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,453,477 and 7,103,923 and the patents cited therein. Indeed, the padding material is optional and may be omitted or used so as to provide for this added protection, fit or comfort. Accordingly, the protective shells 8 and 20 are not made of a heavy or rigid material like the materials used for contact sport helmets 10. Instead, the soft helmet 1 weighs less than 32 ounces. This is important for maintaining mobility of participants, and is particularly suited for typically lighter weight female athletes and youth athletes. In further embodiments, the soft helmet 1 is less than about 36 ounces, about 34 ounces, about 32 ounces, about 30 ounces, about 28 ounces, about 26 ounces, about 24 ounces, about 22 ounces, about 20 ounces, about 18 ounces, about 16 ounces, about 12 ounces, and about 8 ounces. In preferred embodiments, the weight and density of the foam 24 provides protection for AST WJ36457-2104 Headgear use in Women's Lacrosse Standard, while reducing the weight so that the helmet is as light as possible.

In further embodiments, the protective shell 8 and 20 may be made of a number of materials, including plastic, polymers, including, but not limited to polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene, nylon, polycarbonate, or other suitable materials, and is intended to be substantially pliable and lightweight. Typically, the protective shell is about 0.1 to about 5 mm in thickness, with preferred ranges of between about 0.1 mm to about 3 mm. Preferred materials include the same or similar foams used for the foam core and as defined above.

In certain embodiments, an internal 20 and external shell 8 is not utilized, as the foam core 24 is manufactured in such a manner that the entirety of the foam core 24 forms the helmet material. This provides for a homogeneous construction of the soft helmet 1.

FIG. 5 depicts a side profile that is cut in half. This cut-out view depicts the foam core 24. Further depicted in FIG. 5 are several internal cushions 25. These internal cushions or pads, are depicted as circular in shape, but may comprise any shape cushion. These internal cushions are secured to the internal shell 20 via any ordinary attachment means for attaching or securing padding to the helmet 1. Typical mechanisms are hook and loop material, adhesives, open or closed pockets, snaps, pins, zippers, and other attachment mechanisms as known to one of skill in the art. Additional internal cushions 25 can be added or removed to improve fit and comfort for a helmet.

The foam core 24 is a foam-like material that is flexible so as to provide a secure fit on the head of the player. However, the mean feature of the foam core 24 is to dissipate or absorb forces impacting the helmet, so as to lessen the forces on the user's head. Accordingly, when a force is applied to the soft helmet the foam gives and absorbs some of the initial forces, and the design of the helmet seeks to dissipate the force to the rest of the helmet, and not to the user's head. Other suitable materials such as polyester, cotton, down, plastic, or other natural or synthetic materials, composites, and combinations thereof, are also suitable. The thickness of the foam core 24 is between 1 mm to about 50 mm. In preferred embodiments, the thickness of the padding is about 3 mm to about 30 mm, about 5 mm to about 25 mm, or about 7 to about 20 mm. The thickness of the padding material need not be consistent throughout the helmet 1. Indeed, specific components have increased padding or a raised profile to create additional protection.

The foam core 24 and the overall shape and thickness in various portions of the soft helmet 1 are strategic to maximize the safety of the user. Certain areas have increased thickness to meet or exceed national testing standards for safety. Indeed, an issue with prior art helmets is that their design is particular for the sport. We required numerous different designs to properly find a suitable material, such as polyethylene foam, and having the appropriate design to maintain a slim profile helmet that is lightweight and still passes the ASTM standards. Prior art helmets simply do not provide sufficient padding or support to protect for impacts on the crown, side, front, rear, and intermediate areas between the front, side, and rear according to a drop test, compression test, and projectile test.

FIG. 6 depicts a top down view of the soft helmet 1. As depicted, the top ridge 4 is angular in nature, with the front of the helmet having a wider ridge than the rear. Top ridge 4 protests the crown of the head from impact. Similarly, the forehead ridge 6 is a ridge at the front of the helmet, over the face opening, to protect the front of the head. The temple ridge 7 similarly provides added protection at the circumferential point along the temple.

FIG. 7 depicts an exploded view of a shield 31 as separated from the soft helmet 1. Therefore, the soft helmet 1 may optionally include a shield 31 that extends from about the bottom of the forehead down to about the space between the nose and the upper lip. The shield further extends around the head and attaches at, or around, the equivalent position of the ears. In certain embodiments, the shield extends past the temple, unlike prior art designs, to prevent the loss of peripheral vision. Indeed, a severe flaw in the prior art eye protection is the padding and support around the eyes both to the side and bottom of the eyes, which inherently obstructs vision of the user. The shield provided in the embodiments eliminates these flaws to remove the obstructions that are ubiquitous with current eye protection.

The shield 31 is made of a plastic or polycarbonate material, Plexiglas, or similar clear or tinted materials, but is lightweight, rugged, and is capable of being contacted by a thrown ball, a stick, or another player, and withstanding the force of the impact to protect the player's eyes or face. In other embodiments, metal or carbon bars, plastics, or plastic composites are suitable materials, or combinations thereof may be utilized for the visor or shield (E.g. similar to the shield in FIG. 1). The position of the shield 31 extends past the face so the shield is not in contact with any portion of the face. The shield 31 connects to the soft helmet 1 by positioning the shield 31 within the cutout portion 41 of the face opening 19. Accordingly, the top of the shield 33 connects to the cutout adjacent to the upper face, and the sides of the shield 34 and 32 connect to the cutout 41 at the side face 21. The shield 31 may be attached with snaps, hook and loop, adhesives, lock and key, latch, or other mechanisms known to one of ordinary skill in the art for selective or permanent attachment.

This provides a connection to the soft helmet 1 and configures the shield 31 away from the face. This allows the user to eliminate obstructions are eliminated that are present on prior art eye protection, such as the nose bridge, or other contact points in and around the eye and cheek. Accordingly, the embodiment provides for head protection while reducing or eliminating line of sight obstructions. The removal of obstructions from the line of sight is particularly relevant to lacrosse and field hockey players because players frequently play the ball at or near their feet, and use their peripheral vision for dynamic play.

In further embodiments, the shield 31 can connect around the cutout portion 41 of the face opening 19, wherein the visor 31 contains a lip to engage with the cutout portion 41. In further embodiments, the cutout portion 41 is eliminated from the soft helmet 1 and the shield is attached to the face opening 19 without care for a cutout portion 41. However, each attachment mechanism can use permanent or selectively securing mechanisms to secure the visor 31 to the helmet. It may be advantageous to use a tinted visor versus a non-tinted visor based on the time of the game, sun, cloud cover, etc. Accordingly, the ability to remove and replace a visor 31 is relevant in certain embodiments. Therefore, appropriate attachment mechanism, such as hook and loop, snaps, elastic attachment mechanism, lock and key, latches, and the like are considered for selective attachment and detachment in certain embodiments.

The use of a lightweight foam core 24 allows the soft helmet 1 to be incredibly light. Indeed, even incorporating the visor 31, the weight of the soft helmet 1 is between about 8 ounces and about 32 ounces. This is a significant weight savings over the large, bulky helmets used in contact sports.

In view of FIG. 8 a further embodiment provides for a different attachment mechanism and support of the visor 31 to the soft helmet 1. FIG. 8 depicts the use of lateral visor supports 32 and vertical visor supports 33 that are embedded within the foam core 24 to provide additional strength, stability, and support for the helmet and visor 31. In a sense, the lateral visor supports 32 and the vertical visor supports 33, are secured to the visor 31 and form an internal skeleton for the helmet and visor. The underlying skeleton, therefore, provides both shape to the helmet, as well as provides support for the visor 31.

The skeleton, therefore is a set of supporting structures wherein some, or all of the supports can connect to the visor 31. The lateral visor supports 32 and vertical visor supports 33 are shaped and curved to the contours of a head based on their location in the soft helmet 1. The supports (or struts), while being substantially rigid, have some flexibility in preferred embodiments. Accordingly, preferred materials include any one of several plastic or polymer materials that have a flexural strength of between about 20 and about 175 (MPa) and a flexural modulus (GPa) of between about 0.5 and about 4.5. Preferred plastic or polymers include the classes of acrylic, polystyrene, polystyrene, styrene, polycarbonate, and those plastics defined in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,870,841; 4,621,940. A preferred plastic has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 2.0 mm and is embedded within the foam core 24. These plastics have strength to allow for secure attachment to the visor 31 but sufficient flexibility for the soft helmet 1 to retain is flexibility. Accordingly, with the skeleton in place, the helmet remains pliable and can still be squeezed by hand and return to substantially its original shape.

In certain embodiments, the visor 31 is securely attached to the vertical supports with a selectively secured mechanism, but is secured to the lateral supports 32 with a different securing means. For example, the securing means to the vertical support 33 is intended to be rigid and strong, and uses a latch and hole, or other locking type mechanism that prevents movement between the support and the visor 31. In contrast, the visor 31 is selectively secured to the lateral supports 32 with a non-rigid attachment means, such as elastic attachment means or with hook and loop material. This allows the sides of the visor 31 to move slightly, with the helmet, but retains a rigid attachment at the apex to the vertical support 33. This ensures that the helmet remains soft and pliable and not overly rigid.

In certain other embodiments, only vertical supports are utilized and the visor 31 attaches at the sides with hook and loop material, elastic material, or none at all.

In further embodiments, the skeleton can be attached to the exterior shell 8 of the soft helmet 1. In this sense, the lateral supports 32 and vertical supports 33 can fit within pockets or have attachment means on the external portion of the soft helmet. This can be permanent attachment or selective attachment to allow the support components to be removed. This allows for optional removal of the skeleton components where they are unnecessary.

In further embodiments, the skeleton can be individually customized for a particular user. For example, a kit may comprise a mold that is placed on the head of the user that defines the precise shape and size of the user's head. The skeleton can then be molded to the particular shape of the user's head for a customized fit.

Additionally, the supports may be made of a thermoplastic material that is moldable to the end user, such that the skeleton is placed into hot water to soften the supports and then placed back onto the head of the user, to mold to the particular shape of the user's head such as the materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,726 and those patents cited therein. This process can be repeated as necessary, as the skeleton changes shape over time due to use. However, by use of a thermoplastic material, the helmet can be specifically fit to the user. This provides for greater comfort and stability of the helmet. Accordingly, an appropriate plastic or polymer like material is necessary and can be selected by one of ordinary skill in the art.

The visor supports are at least one inch in length, as depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9, wherein the length extends to at least the top of the head. In certain embodiments, the lateral visor supports 32 may extend all the way around the soft helmet 1 and connect on the other side of the soft helmet 1 to the opposing visor supports 32. Furthermore, the lateral visor support 12 may be elastic in some embodiments, wherein the elastic aids in both securing the visor 2 and in securing the helmet to the head of the user.

FIG. 9 depicts that the vertical supports 33 extend to the bottom edge 22. This provides for the attachment point for the visor 31. Indeed, the supports have attachment means that are not embedded within the foam core, so that the visor 31 can attach to them.

FIG. 9 further depicts a chin strap 26 that attaches to the chin strap openings 18. The chin strap is a mechanism to secure the soft helmet 1 to the head of the user. Depicted is a snap 27 on the loose end of the chin strap 26. This allows for one side of the strap to secure to the strap openings 18 and the other side to snap in place with the snap 27 for selective attachment. There are numerous known attachment means for setting the appropriate length of the strap, the elasticity of the strap, and mechanisms for selective attachment as is known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Further depicted in FIG. 9 is a mouth guard strap 28. This strap attaches to a standard mouth guard so that a player can let the mouth guard hang free when it is not in the player's mouth.

FIG. 10 depicts the vertical supports 33 from a top down view, and depicts that the vertical supports 33 extend about half-way to the rear of the helmet.

FIGS. 11A and 11B depict ridges 70, 71, 90 and 91. These ridges are raised portions of padding that create uneven contours on the side of the helmet. These ridges are particular important in certain embodiments to aid in deflecting and minimizing forces to these areas. The ridges can be placed on the side, rear, or top of the helmet, and be long continuous ridges, as depicted in FIG. 11B, or shorter individual ridges, broken up into many smaller ridges as in FIG. 11A, which are about ½ an inch to about two inches long each, as compared to longer ridges of about two or more inches long. The short or long ridges can be combined in embodiments. Patterns of ridges, designs, or irregular spaced ridges are suitable for use for design purposes or in particularly suited orientations that minimize impact or forces to the users of the helmet. Indeed, ridges that deflect the ball from squarely contacting a surface reduce the force impact on the user, so ridges designed to do so are advantageous in these embodiments.

In view of FIGS. 12A and 12B, the ridges can also be generally vertically aligned as well as horizontally aligned. Indeed, in view of FIG. 12B, the lines 82 and 83 show zig zag or wavy ridges, and the ridges, can also be oriented at any orientation between horizontal and vertical. These ridges aid in adding padding over sensitive areas, but also aid in deflecting forces to minimize forces applied to the head of the user.

A further embodiment comprises a device capable of being fitted to helmet that provides protection to neck area, like a mask for baseball/softball catchers, which can be snapped on or off as appropriate for the level of play and skill of the athletes. Such a mask may be suitably used like a current field hockey mask, to provide further protection for users, or for those who desire additional protection while playing or learning.

In a further embodiment, the helmet may be made to specifically fit an individual through a fitting method wherein the method of creating a lightweight helmet for non-contact sports comprising: taking measurements of the head of a person; molding a skeleton to fit the measurements of the person; affixing a rugged fabric material over said skeleton; and affixing a visor to said skeleton. This method provides for a customized, comfortable fit for the user.

Example

The helmet as depicted and described in the embodiments herein, without a face shield, and without internal skeletal features was tested under the ASTM WK36457-2014 standard by ICS Laboratories Inc.

A drop test was performed three times on the crown, front, front boss (between ear and front), right side, rear boss (between ear and rear), rear, and at a non-prescribed location 90 mm above basic plan and on coronal plane, right side. The helmet was tested 3 times at each position:

TABLE 1 Each helmet was tested at between 17 and 23 Centigrade Velocity Impact Location (M/S) Peak (g) Pass Fail Crown 2.2 1.69 X 2.70 3.70 Front 2.2 1.71 X 2.72 3.73 Front Boss 2.2 1.64 X 2.67 3.68 Right Side 2.2 1.62 X 2.66 3.67 Rear Boss 2.2 1.64 X 2.67 3.67 Rear 2.2 1.64 X 2.69 3.70 Non-prescribed 2.2 1.76 X 2.76 3.74

All tests passed when contacted with an internal cushion in the helmet apex.

A further test the “Ball Impact Absorption” test provides for impact of a lacrosse ball to the helmet at about 27 m/s. Tests were to the front, rear, side and a non-prescribed location 30 mm above the basic plane and on coronal plane, right side.

TABLE 2 Impact location Velocity Peak (g) Pass Fail Front 26.4 66 X Non-prescribed 26.6 128 X Rear 26.7 44 X Right Side 27.4 108 X Averages 27 +/− 0.8 86.5

The ball impact test failed only at a single point, the non-prescribed location, which is selected based on the tester's perception of a weak point of the helmet. However, on average, the soft helmet passed each of the tests.

The helmet also went through a deformation test, with velocity of 1.5 m/s at the front and rear of the helmet and passed both tests. This deformation test is required to ensure that the helmet is sufficiently soft, and is not a hard shell helmet.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments and preferred embodiments of the invention and that such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all equivalent variations as fall within the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A one-piece protective soft helmet, particularly suited for non-contact sports comprising: a protective head covering made from a molded soft foam formed as a single homogeneous component, a chin strap suitable for securing said headgear to the head of a person, and a rear strap; wherein said soft helmet is formed to fit overtop and snugly follow the contours of a human head, wherein the helmet extends past the ears but provides a gap in the frontal portion of the helmet that extends from the portion of the helmet about adjacent to the eyebrows of a user to the ear portion; the soft helmet comprises a crown ridge, a forehead ridge, and a temple ridge.
 2. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the weight of the helmet is no more than about two pounds.
 3. The helmet of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of openings extending through the molded soft foam.
 4. The helmet of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of ridges positioned on the side, rear, and top of the helmet.
 5. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the gap is filled with a protective eye shield that extends to about the level of the nose of the use, and wherein a strap is provided that secures a mouth guard to the helmet.
 6. The helmet of claim 5 wherein the weight of the helmet is no more than about 30 ounces.
 7. A soft helmet comprising: a. a protective foam core covering the top of the head, the sides of the head, the rear of the head, and the top portion of the forehead, wherein the foam core ends at about the front of the ear and is provided therein, an opening between the ears and the forehead; b. the protective foam having a pliable form to provide protection against impact to the soft helmet; c. a plurality of internal cushions capable of being selectively attached to the interior of the soft helmet; d. a plurality of vents extending through the foam core; and e. a plurality of ridges positioned along the sides of the helmet.
 8. The helmet of claim 7 wherein the helmet weighs less than about 32 ounces.
 9. The helmet of claim 7 wherein the helmet weighs less than about 24 ounces.
 10. The helmet of claim 7 wherein the helmet weighs less than about 16 ounces.
 11. The soft helmet of claim 7 further comprising a visor disposed of in said opening between the front of the ear and the top portion of the forehead that extends to and is in continuous contact with the foam core from the ears, all along the forehead portion; and vertical and lateral visor supports embedded within the foam core that connect to the visor.
 12. The helmet of claim 11 wherein there are two lateral visor supports each of which extends from one side of the visor, around the rear of the helmet and connects to the other side of the visor.
 13. The helmet of claim 11 wherein the vertical supports extend from the top of the forehead to the rear of the helmet; and wherein the lateral supports extend from the side of the visor to the rear of the helmet and connect with the opposing lateral supports.
 14. The helmet of claim 11 wherein there are at least two vertical visor supports and at least two lateral supports.
 15. A helmet for women's lacrosse comprising: a. a helmet having a foam core and comprising a plurality of openings extending through the foam core at the top, rear, and sides of the helmet; wherein a facial opening is provided at the front of the helmet and disposed of in said facial opening is a visor; b. a skeleton of lateral and vertical supports comprising at least two lateral supports on each side of the helmet and at least two vertical supports on the top of the helmet embedded within the foam core of the helmet; and c. wherein each of the lateral and vertical supports is selectively attached to said visor.
 16. The helmet of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of ridges positioned on the side of the helmet.
 17. The helmet of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of ridges positioned on the side and the top of the helmet.
 18. The skeleton of claim 15 which is made of a thermoplastic material that is capable of being heated and then molded upon cooling.
 19. The skeleton of claim 15, wherein the visor is selectively attached with a rigid mechanism to the vertical supports, and selectively attached with a non-rigid attachment means on the lateral supports.
 20. The skeleton of claim 15 wherein the visor is either a clear visor or a cage style visor. 